Railroad-switch



(No Model.)

B. T. GILLIAM.

RAILROAD SWITGH.

Patented Jan. 8, 1895.

UNITED ST frns;

RICHARD T. GILLIAM,

or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

. RAI LROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,050, dated January 8, 1895.

Application filed March 21,1894. Seria1No.504,559. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD T. GILLIAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, at and 5 are enlarged views, being sect-ions taken on the lines 3, t ando respectively of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of my improved switch. 4

On the railroads of this country the switches in common use are of a construction that involves the shifting of two rail sections by hand, and which when adjusted as required are locked in position. This switching by hand and locking and unlocking cause delays and expense, and such delays and expense it is the object of my invention to obviate, which I do by the means shown in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

That which I claim as new will beset forth in the claims.

In the drawings,-A A indicate the main track of a railroad, and B B the tracks of a siding.

0 indicates an ordinary guard rail at the junction of the siding with the main track.

D indicates a switch, placed at the end of one of the rails of the main track, and between one of the rails of the siding and the guard rail 0. This switch D is tapering in form so as to properly unite the rail of the main track, and, as shown, at the end abutting against the main track rail, such switch is beveled on its side, as shown at d, in order that the flanges on the wheels of cars passing from the siding to the main track may throw the switchD sufticiently to allow such flanges to pass between it and the rail 3'. The lower surface of this switch D is rounded, as is well shown in Fig. 4., the more readily to permit of such switch being oscillated. At the larger end-of the switch D is a trunnion b, which fits into a suitable socket or recess formed in the end of the rail A of the main track.

0 indicates a plate secured in any suitable manner to one of the ties and having an upwardly and forwardly projecting lip c which projects into a groove d in the face of the switch D. v

By means of the trunnion Z) fitting in the socket in the end of the rail A, and the lip c fitting in the groove (1, the switch is firmly secured in position against vertical displacement and at the same time is permitted to oscillate freely.

As a preventive of longitudinal'displacement the switch is provided on its under face with a block 6, which fills or nearly fills the space between two ties. As shown,,this block is merely the enlarged head of a leverf, the object of which lever will be described hereinafter. g indicates a suitable wearing plate placed upon the ties and in the groove upon the uppersurface of which the switch D rests. The wearing plate is secured to the ties in any suitable manner. Y On the under surface of the switch and near its larger end is a weight it projecting through a hole in the wearing plate g into an opening 71 cut in one of the ties, such opening in the tie being large enough to permit the weight to move back and forth with the movement of the switch. The weight it is provided for the purpose of aiding in holding the switch down firmly upon the plate g.

E indicates two standards secured at a suitable distance from the track and at the ends of two beams is is. These beams 70 may simply be extensions of the two ties between which the block 6 rests. The standards are provided with holes through which a pin may be passed for supporting the lever f when its outer end is raised.

In operation my improved switch works as follows: If itis desired to run atrain from the main track onto the siding the lever f is raised sufficiently to rock the switch so as to throw it away from the flanges of the car wheels, thus allowing the train to take the siding. During the time that the train is so passing to the siding the leverf is held in its raised position to keep the switch swung against the guard rail 0 by means of apin passed through the holes in the standards E. After the train has passed onto the siding the pin is removed and the lever dropped. Upon returning from the siding to the main track the flanges of the wheels on the track 13 will strike the beveled face a of the switch D and cause such switch to be-thrown over against the guard rail, allowing the train to pass onto the main track. As the normal position of the switch D is against the rail B, as shown in the drawings, it is evident that the main track ,is always open for the passage of trains in either direction thereon, and that the only manipulation of the switch by hand that is required at any time is when it is desired to run a train from the main track onto the siding. The normal position of the switch against the rail B is maintained in the construction shown by the lever j, which is to be made of iron, and of considerable weight, say--fifty pounds, or thereabout. in addition to the weight of'the lever alone, any suitable weight might be attached to it, or to the switch D in such manner as to have the switch normally lie against the rail B. The weight of the lever f, or any other ordinary weight superadded to that of the lever f, while sufticient to maintain the switch in the normal position herein stated, would be readily overcome when the flanges of the wheels of any ordinary railroad car or truck pressed against the beveled face a of the switch.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway switch, the combination with two tracks, of a rocking switch point normally resting against the main rail, substantially as described.

2. In a railway switch, the combination with two tracks, of a rocking switch point, and a It is evident, however, that weight arranged at one side of said point to causeit to normally rest against the main rail, substantially as described.

3. In a railway switch, the combination with two tracks, of a rocking switch point pivoted at one end and secured at or near its opposite end against vertical play, and a Weighted lever arranged at one side of said point to cause it to normally restagainst the main rail, substantially as described.

4. In a railwayswitch, the combination with two tracks, of a rocking switch point, a weighted lever arranged at one side of said point to cause it to normally rest against the main rail, and means for holding said lever ele vated, substantially as described.

5. In a railwayswitch, the combination with two tracks, ofa grooved plate, a rocking switch point seated in said grooved plate, and a lever for rocking said point, substantially as described.

6. In a railway switch, the combination with a grooved plate, of a rocking switch point seated in said plate and provided with a pendulous weight, substantially as described.

7. In combination with railway tracks, a switch havinga trunnion b at one end adapted to enter a socket or recess in the end of a rail,

and having a groove d in its side face, and a plate 0 having an end 0' adapted to enter the groove (1, substantially as and for the purpose specified. V

RICHARD T. GILLIAM. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. ADAMS,

J OHN L. JAoKsoN. 

